Age and Chronic Illness

Chronic illness hit me like a tons of bricks just as I was turning 30...literally. It was within days of my 30^th birthday that the migraines, vertigo, and the symptoms of

Gastroparesis hit. Most people that I speak to say “you're awfully young to be experiencing all of these health problems”. I would have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with them; however, I would agree with them whether I was 20 years old or 65 years old! There is no “perfect age” to be saddled with a chronic illness.

There is this thought amongst the majority of people—and that's conjecture on my part—that chronic illness, particularly serious ones, are things that are supposed to only happen to the elderly. It's almost like Chronic Illness is like getting your license, like a morbid milestone of life. It's one that I will GLADLY pass up. Senior citizens have lived long lives, they've experienced things; therefore, the natural progression is then to have illness to occur. It sounds horribly morbid, but, I think that's how most people think life is SUPPOSED to work, whether we say it out loud or not. Sadly, Chronic Illness has no prescribed age that it begins with.

It is estimated that 133 million Americans has a chronic illness, sixty percent of which are between the ages of 18 and 64. These are not including people with cancer, mental illness, or diabetes. My particular disease, Gastroparesis, has an average onset of 34 years of age—though it can occur at any age. I also suffer from chronic migraines. Migraines are usually experienced, originally, in adolescence first and then carried on into adult life; and women have a greater risk of experiencing migraines than men.

Chronic illness has no age discrimination...

Chronic illness will touch your life when it wants to. It pays no mind to your age, to your plans for your life, or how much you will it to go away; it just comes in like a thief and alters your thoughts about everything. It rearranges your thoughts about yourself (you're stronger than you realize, trust me), your thoughts about your friends, your thoughts about your future, the healthcare system, everything! There will be times when you become overwhelmed and want to give up, but you can't! There will be times when you become frustrated with your doctors and the healthcare system and want to throw in the towel, but you can't! There will be MANY times that you hear—well intentioned, but ignorant—statements from friends and family that make you want to scream, but you have to just soldier on.

Advocacy is key in the case of Invisible Chronic Illness(es). Help people understand what it's like living in your shoes...take away the mystic...the stigma...help give your illness a voice! The younger generation can use their tech savvy-ness to their advantage and spread awareness for the disease(s) that they have. Instead of being “whoa as me” turn it into “support me”! Turn peoples' pity into a sense of pride in all that you've accomplished despite not feeling well!